


Shifting Sands

by writemydreams



Series: DCU Bangs [3]
Category: Batman (Comics), DCU (Comics), Red Hood and the Outlaws (Comics), Red Robin (Comics)
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Case Fic, DCU Big Bang, DCU Big Bang 2018, Getting Together, Jason Todd-centric, M/M, Sex Trafficking, Stranded
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-13
Updated: 2018-11-13
Packaged: 2019-08-23 08:52:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 14,087
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16615829
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/writemydreams/pseuds/writemydreams
Summary: Bruce invites Jason to the manor to discuss a new case with him. He and Tim are to go into the Asir Mountains in Saudi Arabia to dismantle a cartel trafficking kidnapped girls and weapons. Jason is determined to save the girls and get them to safety. He's also hoping this case will be a chance for a new beginning with Tim. That he'll be brave enough to tell Tim he loves him.Just when things are going well, the universe strikes against him. Jason and Tim are stranded in the Rub' al Khali with limited resources, injuries, and the risk of being claimed by the sands or discovered by the League of Assassins.





	1. A New Case

**Author's Note:**

  * For [omgiamwish](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=omgiamwish).



> Phew, this fic did NOT want to cooperate with me. Thank you so much to my partner, omgiamwish, for being patient with me! 
> 
> Check out her wonderful art! 
> 
> https://omgiamwish.tumblr.com/post/180088422944/my-art-for-shifting-sands-by-write-my-dreams-for
> 
> The idea for Shifting Sands came to me when I was hiking in Arches National Park. The sun was beating down on me, I was surrounded by desert, and I pictured Jason and Tim struggling on a case.

Jason glances up from his book when his phone vibrates. He reaches for it to see who’s texting him. To his surprise, it’s Bruce. 

**Bruce: Come to the manor tonight. 7 PM. New case.**

**Jason: Okay**

**Bruce: Alfred’s out so use your key.**

Jason replies with a thumbs up emoji. No response comes so he sets the phone aside and returns to his book. His concentration wavers as he thinks about the case. What’s so important about it that Bruce wants to tell him in person? Is it an undercover mission? A team-up? Or something else? Jason knows he’ll find out in a few hours. It doesn’t stop his curiosity from eating at him though.

Finally, it’s time to leave. Jason likes to be punctual so times his arrival perfectly. Nostalgia hits as he pulls into the driveway. For years, he avoided coming here. The manor is a representation of what could’ve been. It holds too much pain, too much anger. Poses too many questions. What would his life be like if the Joker hadn’t brutally murdered him? Would Jason have remained Robin? Or left the costume behind to focus on his education? If Jason did stay Robin, would Tim even be a part of the family? 

Jason pulls off his helmet. There’s no point in dwelling on a hypothetical life. He gets off his bike and heads to the front door. No Alfred tonight, but maybe a Damian to annoy. Jason unlocks the door and steps inside. “Anyone home?” he calls, shutting the door behind him. 

No one answers. Jason isn’t surprised. Alfred isn’t here, Bruce must be down in the cave like the vampire he is, and it’s beneath Damian to greet people like a normal human. Jason locks the door then heads into the living room. He smirks when he spots Damian on the couch. “Aw, is baby bat ignoring his big brother?” he teases.

Damian shoots him an annoyed look. His laptop and backpack are by his side. He’s doing homework – or trying to. One of his cats is asleep on his textbook. “Why are you here?”

“Bruce told me to come.” Jason leans over the couch to ruffle Damian’s hair for the sole purpose of irritating him. 

Damian hisses in outrage. Mission accomplished! “Todd, if you touch me again I will separate your hand from your body.”

Jason rolls his eyes. “Sure, demon spawn. Where’s Bruce?” 

“Father is in the cave.”

What a shock. Bruce should move his bedroom down there. “Figures. Bruce spends so much time down there he’s going to turn into a vampire soon. People already think Batman is one. You could be his sidekick, Baby Bat.” Laughing, he blocks Damian’s punch. It’s too easy to rile him up. 

“Remove your presence from my sight, Todd!” Damian snaps. “As I said, Father is downstairs. Try not to embarrass yourself by slobbering over Drake in front of him.”

“Tim’s here too?” Jason asks without thinking. Shit. He’s exposed his weakness! The gleam in Damian’s eyes makes it all too clear he’s noticed. “For your information, demon spawn, I don’t _slobber_ over anyone!” 

Damian raises an eyebrow. “Do explain why your brain ceases to function when you’re in Drake’s presence then.” 

“I don’t do that!” Jason protests.

Damian snorts. “Hardly. You failed to stop staring at Drake’s legs at the family dinner last week. Then, when you attended a gala as his bodyguard, you could barely take your eyes off of him. Even though you were _supposed_ to be looking for threats. You also allowed Drake to defeat you in sparring. Did his leggings or his white shirt do you in?” He smirks triumphantly when Jason blushes. “Shall I list further examples or will you continue to deny your feelings for Drake?”

Jason decides surrender is his best option. For now. “I don’t need examples. You should try being less of a stalker, baby bat. Twelve-year-old creeps aren’t pleasant.” 

“I am fourteen!” Damian snaps.

“Aw, still a baby.” Jason heads for the clock, satisfied he’s turned the tables in sibling torture. He ignores Damian cursing him in Arabic. The insults are cut off when the clock swings shut behind him. Jason descends the stairs to enter the cave proper. He pauses at the bottom. Bruce and Tim are standing by the computer, dressed in casual clothes. Jason wonders if Tim is trying to torture him by wearing skintight jeans. Apparently he’s also making Bruce suffer by wearing a Green Lantern shirt. “You said you had a case for me?”

“For both of you,” Bruce says without looking away from the screen.

Jason tries not to stare at Tim’s legs as he joins them. Surely Tim knows how incredible he looks in skinny jeans. “Both of us? If it’s another theater job, I’ll pass.” He doesn’t need a repeat of that incident. 

“It isn’t,” Bruce says. “This case is in Saudi Arabia.”

Jason blinks. “You want to send _Tim_ to the Middle East?”

“Ra’s al Ghul won’t expect to find Tim in Saudi Arabia. My sources have him based in the Sahara Desert still.”

“But—”

Tim lays his hand on Jason’s shoulder. “Ra’s hasn’t bothered me in over a year now. He’s either nursing his ego, plotting revenge, or he’s found someone else to focus his energies on. I won’t let one man stop me from taking on cases in the Middle East. Besides, I went to Dubai on a business trip a couple months ago. My only problem was a sunburn.” 

Jason makes a mental note to pack sunblock. “Okay. What’s going on in Saudi Arabia? Drug smuggling? Weapons?” He focuses on the screen. It displays footage from a drone, a topographical map of Saudi Arabia, and a set of coordinates. 

“There’s a cartel in the foothills of the Asir Mountains.” Bruce indicates the location. “They’re involved in sex trafficking and weapons smuggling. The two of you need to save the victims, apprehend the weapons, and dismantle the cartel.”

Jason stiffens. “How old are the victims?”

“They range in age from ten to twenty. Mostly girls taken from poor Saudi villages or Eastern Europe.” Bruce scowls at the map. “Regular law enforcement can’t or won’t take on this cartel. Their numbers are too many. The two of you are more than capable of destroying their operation.” 

Praise from Bruce always makes Jason’s heart soar. However, there’s one thing he needs to make clear. “Both of you know how much I despise rapists and slavers. Don’t expect me to use non-lethal force. To save the girls, I _will_ shoot to kill. If either of you have a problem with that, then say it now. I can’t rescue the victims if I’m fighting my partner.” He meets Tim’s gaze to gauge his reaction. Bruce’s answer doesn’t matter. Tim’s does.

Tim doesn’t look away. “You know I don’t approve of your methods. I’m not going to stop you though. There are two of us and a lot more of them. Saving the girls has to be our priority. Do you know anything about the weapons?”

Bruce’s lips thin in displeasure. “Not as much as I’d like to. Powerful guns, missile launchers. There are rumors of bombs too.”

Tim frowns. “I’ll call Lucius and tell him I’ll be out of the office for a few days. Send me all the intel you have on this case and the surrounding area. Jason, walk with me. We need to plan.” He picks his tablet up off the desk.

Jason nods. “Agreed.” Maybe he’ll finally muster up the courage to ask Tim out once they’ve completed this case. He can’t risk causing tension or distractions between them when so many lives are at stake. He follows Tim up the stairs, unable to resist checking out his ass. “Did you wear a Green Lantern shirt to annoy Bruce?”

Tim smirks over his shoulder. “Of course. His eye twitched when he saw it.”

Jason chuckles. “I thought so.” His smile fades as he thinks of the poor, terrified girls. “Do we leave tonight or wait until after patrol?”

“I’d like to patrol first. If it’s a slow night, we’ll leave early. I do need to stop in Jerusalem to meet up with a contact and get some supplies. Rest a little. Then we’ll fly into Saudi Arabia. Bruce’s source says the cartel plans to sell the girls and weapons three days from now.”

Jason frowns. “I assume his source is Talia?”

“He wouldn’t say.”

“It’s definitely Talia. She _hates_ rapists and sex traffickers as much as I do.” Yet again, Jason is doing dirty work for Talia. He doesn’t mind though. She saved his life and killed the Joker for his twenty-first birthday. It’s the best gift he’s ever gotten.

Tim pauses on the stairs. “I suspect you’re right.”

“You know I am. Does anyone know where Ra’s is?” Jason’s starting to worry again as he pictures Tim in the Middle East. He might as well put a _Come Kidnap Me!_ sign on Tim.

Tim shrugs. “You know Ra’s doesn’t stick to a specific place for long. He was last seen attending an auction in Alexandria, Egypt.”

“When?”

“Two days ago.”

Alexandria is far too close to Jerusalem for Jason’s liking. He knows better than to protest though. Tim is more than capable of defending himself against Ra’s. He’s done it numerous times before. “Okay. I don’t like it, but you can handle yourself. How’s your Arabic?”

 _“Excellent. And yours?”_ Tim replies in Arabic.

Jason grins. When one spends enough time with al Ghuls, it’s impossible not to pick up the language. _“The same. Damian still has no idea we can understand him when he starts cursing us out in Arabic.”_

 _“Good. Let’s keep it that way.”_ Tim pushes open the clock and they exit into a Damian-free living room. His homework and textbook hogging cat are still on the couch. Jason assumes Damian went out with Titus. Good thing too. Damian would only tease him or threaten to reveal his crush on Tim. “Coffee?”

“Sure.” Jason follows Tim into the kitchen. He takes a seat while Tim gets them coffee. Jason doesn’t bother adding cream or sugar to his. Neither does him. “So, Mr. Brain, I assume you’ve already concocted plans A-Z.”

Tim rolls his eyes. “I haven’t gotten _that_ far, Jason.” He pulls up the files on his tablet to show Jason the cartel’s base of operations. As Bruce said, it’s in the foothills of the mountains. The landscape is harsh and unforgiving with mountains leading into desert. “I advise landing the jet far enough away that the cartel can’t detect us then going the rest of the way on sand cycles.”

Sand cycles are fast, quiet, and an excellent way to travel through the desert. “Okay. Assuming the cartel sticks to the caves, they’ll have sentries posted in and around the mountains. Smugglers always do. We could take out the sentries and then flood the tunnels with smoke bombs.” Caves always make combat difficult since there’s less cover and limited room to maneuver. 

Tim nods. “It’s an option. You know the dangers of that though. Smoke bombs will hamper our field of vision too. The cartel could panic and hurt the girls. I’m also considering infiltrating the cartel. We could disguise ourselves as members, or you do it while I dress as one of the captive girls.”

Jason desperately tries not to picture how beautiful Tim would look in a dress. “That’s, ah, an option.” He takes a breath. “We can plan as much as we want, but until we actually see what we’re up against, we shouldn’t get too attached to any particular idea.” Every hero knows the importance of winging it when plans go awry. Ugh.

“You’re grimacing.”

“I was thinking of our annoying brother who likes to say he’s ‘Nightwinging it’ before discarding whatever plan he had.”

Tim groans. “I wish he wouldn’t say that. Thankfully he doesn’t do it often.”

“That’s a relief.” Jason switches to a topographical view to see what the best way to approach is. There are plenty of dunes to use for cover as well as the mountains themselves. “If we’re stopping in Jerusalem, we can’t take the Batjet. We’d have to land it out of sight of the city, drive into Jerusalem to get supplies…” Jason shakes his head. “We’re better off flying a private jet. I can be your pilot bringing you to Jerusalem for Wayne Enterprises business.”

Tim sips his coffee. “If we have time, I could stay an extra day or two after we rescue the girls.”

“All right. So, refuel and get supplies in Jerusalem. Then we fly to Saudi Arabia, land the plane in a city near the cartel’s base, and take the sand cycles into the desert.” Jason isn’t eager to return to the Rub’ al Khali.

“Yes.”

Jason finishes his coffee. “All right. We have a plan then. I’m going to head back to my place so I can pack. Do you need a ride to your apartment? Or did you drive here?”

“Alfred picked me up from Wayne Enterprises. I’ll take a ride back to my place. Let me get my backpack.”

“And a helmet,” Bruce says from the doorway. He’s holding Tim’s blue backpack and a spare motorcycle helmet. It’s not the princess one Dick bought as a joke. Jason bets Damian threw it out or used it for target practice. “I’ll see the two of you on patrol. Jason, please try not to kill anyone tonight.” He frowns as he hands the backpack and helmet over to Tim.

Jason’s shoulders hunch defensively. “No promises. I’m going over Black Mask and his goons tonight. That fucker’s getting a massive cocaine shipment. If that hits Gotham’s streets, more kids are going to die.”

Tim stows his tablet in the backpack. “Giving Black Mask special attention again? Are you the reason he changed his mask?”

Jason snorts. “I have no idea why Sionis decided to swap out the skull mask for a fetish one. If he thinks it’ll seduce me, he’s barking up the wrong tree.” Jason has eyes only for Tim.

Bruce grimaces. “That’s enough from both of you. If you need backup…” he trails off, though the invitation is clear.

“I’ll let you know. Ready, Tim?”

“I am.”

Jason rinses the coffee mugs and puts them in the dishwasher first. Alfred works so hard to take care of everyone. He doesn’t need to come home to dirty dishes. “Okay. Let’s go.” This time, he leads the way. Bruce can’t catch him staring at Tim’s ass.


	2. The Cartel

The plane’s controls feel good under Jason’s hands. He’ll never admit to Bruce how much he enjoys flying the Batjet or the “Wayne Plane” as Dick calls it. There are so many worlds and universes out there. Maybe the Jason Todd on one of those becomes a pilot or a Green Lantern. Ideally with Tim as a partner. 

Jason glances over at Tim. Given their stopover, they’re dressed in regular clothes instead of their uniforms. Joggers and a hoodie for him while Tim is in his customary skinny jeans and a sweater he totally stole from someone since it’s at least two sizes too big for him. Tim would look cute in Jason’s clothes. Maybe he should start wearing sweaters instead of hoodies, encourage Tim to steal them. 

Tim must sense his gaze since he looks up from his tablet. “What?”

“Why are we stopping in Jerusalem?” Back in the cave, asking hadn’t been important. They’re halfway across the Atlantic now so they might as well talk about it. 

“Two reasons,” Tim replies. “One, Jerusalem isn’t in the Sahara. So Ra’s shouldn’t be there. Second, my contact is in Jerusalem. We’ve worked jobs in the Asir Mountains before so I trust her on this.”

Jason assumes she’s one of Tim’s partners from when Bruce was “dead” and Tim had the bright idea to work with the League of Assassins. Not like he had a choice since all his allies were dead, pushing him away, or thought he was crazy. Jason wishes he’d been there for Tim instead of being a complete ass. “Is this Pru?”

Tim nods. “Yes, Pru. I’ll speak with her while you refuel and get supplies.”

Jason lays a hand over his heart. “You’re getting rid of me already, Timmy? I’m crushed.”

Tim rolls his eyes. “Drama queen. Pru hasn’t met you before, so I don’t know how she’ll react to seeing you.”

“All right. Tell Pru if she helps us save these girls, I’ll buy her a drink once the case is over.” Jason hesitates then looks at Tim again. “I didn’t know you and Pru stayed in contact. Bruce went missing in time four years ago.”

“It’s… been a while since Pru and I last spoke,” Tim replies. “We’ve made a good team in the past though. She respects me enough not to kill when we work together. Unless there’s no other option.”

Jason wonders if Tim ever blows up at Pru like Bruce does with him. “Are we bringing Pru with us to the cartel?”

“It’s an option. We’ve agreed to land the plane in one of the towns and take the sand cycles to the cartel’s base. So, Pru could stay in town with the plane or meet us in the desert to help bring the girls to safety.”

“Having a woman there to greet them will be good. We don’t know what condition these girls will be in or how traumatized they are.” Jason tightens his grip on the controls as he thinks of other victims he’s rescued from sex trafficking. Some were so afraid of men they couldn’t handle being touched by one. Others were like shell-shocked soldiers. 

Tim nods. “I agree.” He glances down at the tablet again. “We have drones that are small enough to avoid detection. Depending on what we see, we’ll decide if a direct assault or infiltration is our best option.”

“You’d make a cute girl for the infiltration route.”

“I have gone undercover as one before,” Tim says dryly. “Now get your mind out of the gutter and focus on the case instead of me in a dress.”

Jason doesn’t dare push the subject. “I’ll do that, princess.” 

“Princess?” Tim huffs. 

Jason smirks at him. “You’re small, cute, and potentially dressing as a girl. Perfect princess candidate. All humor aside, I think infiltration is going to be our best strategy. We each have our earpieces so we’ll be able to communicate with each other. We can get an exact read on security, how many girls there are, the layout of the cave, and what weapons the cartel plans to sell.”

“I agree.”

So they have a plan. Now the key is to get everything in place and hope like hell nothing goes wrong. 

**Jerusalem 10 AM**

It’s been a good three years since Jason was last in Jerusalem for more than an hour. Someday, he’ll come back to this city for a proper visit instead of for a case or a brief stopover like now. He stretches his arms above the head then twists to work the stiffness out of his muscles. “Where are you meeting Pru?”

“The fountain at the Old Souk Market.”

Jason nods. “That’s a perfect place to get a meal and supplies. Did you bring shekels or do we need to stop at an ATM?”

“I have some.”

Jason does too. Shekels, Saudi riyals… he’s come prepared for this case. “Good. We might as well take a cab. Are you buying clothes or should I find a suitably beautiful dress for you?”

Tim raises an eyebrow at him. “Generous of you to offer, Jay. I’ll take care of clothes.”

Jason signals an available taxi driver. They climb into the back, halting further discussion of the plan until they reach the market. Jason pays the driver and steps out of the taxi. The market has changed little since the last time he was here. No surprise since it’s been here for centuries. It isn’t called the Old Souk Market for nothing. 

Tim points to a large fountain around which tourists, locals, and eager pigeons are clustered. “She’s meeting me there. It shouldn’t take me more than half an hour to go over things with her. Do you want to meet back at the fountain once we’re done?”

Jason closes his eyes, breathing in the scent of falafel and kebabs. His stomach rumbles. Food is going to be his first purchase. “Let’s do that. Thirty minutes should be fine for me too.” He turns to go then pauses. There’s something magical about these old cities. Jerusalem would be a great place for a date. “Tim?” Jason grabs his arm to stop him from leaving.

“What?” Tim asks.

Jason takes a deep breath. It’s now or never. “After we’ve saved the girls and stopped the cartel, let’s come back to Jerusalem. Spend a couple nights here.”

Tim blinks. “Jason, we already planned to do that.”

“As a date,” Jason blurts. “Will you go out with me? On a date?”

Tim’s eyes widen in surprise. “Jason! You’re asking me this now? Why didn’t you say something earlier?”

_Because I’ve tried to kill you before. I’ve treated you horribly, called you Replacement instead of your name for years, and constantly tore you down. We’re friends and allies now, but I’ve fucked up too much to feel confident about a chance to be with you._ “We have such an ugly history. I never thought you’d say yes. Plus, I don’t know if you like guys. Besides Superboy.”

Tim’s eyes are sparkling. “Jay, have you looked in a mirror lately?”

It’s Jason’s turn to blink owlishly. “You think I’m hot?”

Tim steps closer to cup his face in his hands. “You are an idiot for even asking that question. Yes, I think you’re hot. Yes, I do like guys. I realized I was bisexual when I was fourteen. And before you ask, I like you too. I have for months. I never said anything because I didn’t think you were interested in me.”

Jason shakes his head. “Now who’s the idiot?”

“Both of you,” a woman gripes.

Jason looks over Tim’s shoulder to see a tan, short-haired woman in tight jeans and a tank top. Her arms are crossed over her chest. Even though sunglasses cover her eyes, Jason knows she’s looking him over. “You must be Pru.”

“And you’re Jason.” Pru pushes the sunglasses up onto her head. “You are cute. Hate to interrupt your date plans, boys, but we’ve got to get moving if you want to rescue those girls.” She takes a step back. “Coming, lover boy?”

Tim kisses Jason’s cheek. “See you at the fountain in thirty minutes.”

“I’ll be there.” Jason watches until they disappear into the crowd before he turns away. 

Three hours later, they’re on board the plane again. Their plane is freshly fueled, they’ve eaten, purchased disguises and additional supplies, and have plans. As well as the promise of a date once they’ve completed their mission. 

* * *

Jason raises his binoculars to scan the entrance to the cave. He and Tim have been camped outside for hours to observe the cartel. Two to three sentries are always positioned outside the entrance. The drones Jason flew overhead indicated the presence of additional sentries in the mountains along with powerful, long-ranged weapons. Their arrival seems to have gone unnoticed since the guns haven’t been fired and cartel members aren’t storming the dunes to take out the intruders. 

Tim shifts next to him. “We’ve seen three Jeeps and a big truck enter the cave so far. Do you think any of the girls can drive?”

Jason shakes his head. “The Saudi ones won’t; women have only been allowed to drive for a few months. Talia said the girls are from poor villages anyway. Cars would be a luxury item that only a few families can afford.” 

“That’s true.”

“Were you thinking of having the girls drive to safety?” Jason asks. His fists clench as he thinks of the armored truck that drove into the cave earlier. Has the driver brought more girls or weapons? Fuck, all he wants to do is to charge into the cave, free the girls, and gun down their captors.

Tim nods. “We can’t afford to leave anyone behind. If the cartel only has Jeeps and one truck, we’ll need additional drivers. We can’t fit everyone into two vehicles.” He sets his binoculars down. “I think we’ve observed for long enough. The sun’s going to set in the next hour, and I’d like to be with the girls before nightfall. Come on, Jay. It’s time to act.” He unzips the backpack he bought in Jerusalem and takes out a bundle of clothing. Jason gets half of it. “Stow your gear in here and put these on.” 

Jason’s disguise is a gray shirt and cap, dark green jacket, and a scarf. For himself, Tim has a drab, gray dress with long sleeves and a purple hijab. Hardly attractive attire, but he’ll blend in well with the other girls. “You’re going to be such a pretty girl, Timmy.”

Tim flashes him an unimpressed look. “I’d say you’ll make a handsome cartel member, but I doubt you’ll appreciate that.” He unfastens his cape and domino so he can pull the dress on over his suit. He dons the hijab next. Tim completes the disguise by pinning a veil over his nose and mouth. Jason wisely doesn’t tell Tim his beautiful blue eyes will captivate the creeps inside. “March me to the sentries. Tell them you caught me snooping outside. If they act suspicious, we’ll take them down and force our way inside. Use Plan B.”

“So if all goes according to Plan A, I’m throwing you in a cell for the night?” Jason sighs.

Tim meets his gaze. “Is that a problem?”

Jason shakes his head. “No, it’s a good plan. I just don’t like the thought of you being locked up. It needs to be done though. You can talk to the girls, find out what they know, and how many are present. Reassure them that they’ll be rescued.” He picks up his binoculars again to check on the sentries. Bypassing them, other cartel members, and the cell guards is going to be difficult. Along with keeping Tim away from any pervert who gets too curious about the “girl” with the blue eyes. 

“Any change?” Tim asks.

“None. Still the same three guys.” Jason puts the binoculars down and peels off his domino. He wraps his mask and helmet in his leather jacket then places them in the backpack along with Tim’s gear. Jason pulls the shirt Tim bought him over his chest plate. He won’t part with any of his body armor. Jason dons the jacket next and loops the scarf around his neck, pulling it up to cover the lower half of his face. “Showtime, baby bird.”

Tim huffs at him. “I’m not a baby bird!”

Jason winks at him. “Keep telling yourself that.” He shoulders the backpack and stands. “I’m sorry about this.” He grips Tim’s arm and yanks him to his feet. Jason presses a gun to the center of Tim’s back. “Walk,” he growls. Jason forces Tim down the dune and along the rocky path leading to the cave. The three sentries immediately train their guns on him. Jason knows the mountain sentries are also prepared to fire. “Weapons down!” He shouts in Arabic. “I caught this little mouse while patrolling. She must think she’s Wonder Woman.”

“Stay still,” the sentry in the camouflage coat orders. He jerks his head at the two next to them, sending them down to Tim and Jason.

The first to reach them is a sunburnt Russian. His partner is a Saudi man. The Russian leers at Tim as he wraps a grimy hand around his arm. “Pretty eyes. Throw her in with the others.” He pauses, then reaches for Tim’s veil. “On second thought, leave her with me.”

“No,” the Saudi snaps. “ _I’ll_ handle her.”

Jason yanks Tim away from both the men. “I caught her while you two lazed around. I’ll see to her punishment.” He pushes Tim forward. “Move, girl.”

“What’s with the backpack?” the Russian demands.

Jason gives him a dismissive look. “It’s hers. Clothes and some food. Nothing to concern any of you, unless you plan to wear an abaya.” He smirks when both glare. Despite their anger, they make no attempt to stop Jason or Tim. The man at the cave entrance gives them a brief onceover before waving them inside. The first test is complete. 

They’re unchallenged until the path forks. Jason hesitates as he glances down the two paths. Which way is right? He can’t afford to look incompetent if others come across them! “Tim?” he whispers. “Any ideas?”

“I don’t know,” Tim whispers back.

Jason stiffens when a man holding a rifle comes down the left work. He stops at the sight of them. “What are you doing with that girl?” he demands in Russian. “They’re not to be touched!” 

“I found her outside while patrolling,” Jason replies. “The sentries told me to put her in with the other girls.”

The man’s eyes narrow. “Where did you find her? No one knows about this location!”

“At the base of the mountains. She said she came to rescue her sister. Stupid girl thought she could be like Wonder Woman and rescue everyone.” He tightens his grip on Tim’s arm. “Any other questions? Or can I bring her to the cells now?”

“Bring her to the boss first,” the man orders. “He’ll want to find out how she discovered where we are.”

Jason maintains a neutral expression. “Okay. Where is he?”

“Checking the weapons,” the Russian replies. He scowls when Jason doesn’t move. “Did you forget where it is? You’re one of the new members, aren’t you? Boss is down that way.” He points back the way he came. “Now go! Don’t keep him waiting any further.”

“Of course.” Jason pushes Tim past the man. He risks a glance back and catches him admiring Tim’s body. It’s so tempting to shoot him. A stern look from Tim reminds him of everything that’s at stake. Taking a breath, Jason exhales and keeps walking. 

“If you bring me to the boss, we could take him out,” Tim says.

Jason shakes his head. “Too risky. Men like that will have guards. We have to see the girls first before we act against their captors.” He glances over his shoulder again to find that the Russian man is out of sight. If they continue this way, they risk encountering the boss.

Crying from up ahead gets his attention. “The girls,” he whispers. Jason straightens his shoulders and marches Tim towards the sound. The path forks again, the right one ending at a large cell with an iron gate and three bored guards playing cards.

At the sight of Jason and Tim, one drops his cards and springs to his feet. “What are you doing with her?”

“Caught her snooping outside. Now open the door so I can get her off my hands. I need to report to the boss.” 

The second guard stands. “Snooping? Where?”

“She was hiding in the rocks at the base of the mountain.” Jason gives the door an expectant look. Finally, the first guard unlocks it. “She said she came to rescue her sister.”

The guard who opened the door smirks. “Stupid girl. Now she’ll need someone to rescue her. With eyes like that, maybe I will.” He reaches for Tim, but Jason shoves him forward into the cell before the guard can touch him. Tim stumbles and falls next to a redhead. She takes Tim’s hand and glares at them with open hatred. Jason heart aches at the sight of the girls around them. At least thirty are inside. Some are crying, others have stony or helpless expressions, and others are praying desperately to their gods. 

“She’ll fetch a good price,” Jason says when the guard scowls at him. “If she’s untouched.”

“Fine,” the man mutters. He slams the door shut and locks it again. 

Jason leaves the three guards to their work. It’s one of the hardest things he’s ever done, even though he knows Tim is far from helpless. Tim is armed, has his communicator, and is perfectly care of fighting off creeps. 

Once he’s in a secure location, Jason touches his earpiece. “Knight to Princess checking in.”

“Squire,” Tim snorts.

Jason smiles. Phase Two begins now. Phase Three is tomorrow night.


	3. Rescue

At least thirty girls are crammed into a cell that stinks of sweat and fear. Three approach, laying comforting hands on him. One girl is in a blue and silver abaya with a silver hijab. Another is a white girl with a messy, blonde braid while the third is a redhead with a pixie cut and a determined set to her jaw.

The redhead clasps Tim’s hand and shoots a murderous glare over his shoulder. She doesn’t speak, but her touch is meant to bring comfort. 

The girl with the silver hijab smiles kindly as she takes Tim’s free hand. “I’m sorry you are now trapped with us. Be brave, dear sister,” she says in Arabic. “Allah will help us. He will save us from these men. My name is Amani. What’s yours?”

The blonde girl shakes her head at the mention of Allah. “Can’t understand you,” she mutters in Russian. “But if you think praying will help, don’t bother.”

The redhead nods. “I agree.” She studies Tim then points to herself. “Natalia.”

The blonde girl is Katja. “Do you speak Russian?”

Tim lowers his veil so the girls can see his face. “My name is Red Robin. I’m a hero from Gotham City,” he says in Russian then Arabic so Amani can understand him. 

Katja squints at him. “You’re a boy.”

Amani quickly releases his hand. Muslim girls aren’t supposed to touch anyone of the opposite sex unless they’re married or related. “You are a superhero?”

“I am. I’ve been Batman’s partner, a founding member of Young Justice, and former leader of the Teen Titans. My partner and I are here to rescue you. All of you,” Tim says.

Katja cocks her head. “Why did you wear a dress?”

That’s all she can focus on? Him disguising himself as a girl so he can rescue them? “I’m wearing this so I can speak with you. My partner and I decided the best way to beat the cartel is to infiltrate them. He’s posing as a member while I, obviously, am here with you. My partner and I are going to break you out tomorrow night.”

“How?” Natalia demands. “You’re a captive too! How can two people defeat this cartel when one of them is locked up with us?”

“Because I’ve done this before,” Tim says simply. “Is this all the girls?”

The Russian girls shrug. “I think,” Katja says. “There are thirty-four of us. There used to be forty. One has died and the other five were taken away by the men. They haven’t returned to the cell yet. I don’t think they will.”

Tim grits his teeth. If the girls are still alive, he and Jason will need to rescue them too. “My partner, the Red Hood, hates sex traffickers and rapists.”

“I hope he kills them,” Katja says savagely.

Tim won’t answer that. “Does anyone know how to drive? The cartel has an armored truck and at least three Jeeps. You may have to drive yourselves to safety if Red Hood and i are still fighting the cartel.”

The question is whispered around the room until Tim has answers. Five of the Eastern European girls know how to drive. Amani is the only Saudi girl who can.

“Good,” Tim says. “I have a contact waiting for us in the nearest town. Her name is Pru. She’ll be wearing a black abaya with a green hijab. She’ll have a sword pin too. Pru speaks English and Arabic, maybe some Russian. I’m not sure though.”

“I know a little English,” Katja says.

Natalia nods. “Me too.”

“Okay. You’ll be able to communicate then.”

“Red Robin, what is your plan?” Amani asks. “The cartel has so many weapons! I don’t understand how two people can defeat them.” She shivers and hugs herself. “I want to help you, but I don’t know how I can.” 

Tim holds a finger to his lips for silence when some of the girls in the back speak too loudly of freedom. They may not see how they can escape the cartel, but they’re also desperate to be free of these men. 

A guard bangs on the cell door. “Quiet in there!” he commands.

The girls fall silent. Katja and Natalia glare at the door then turn their gaze to Tim, waiting for him to continue discussing the plan.

“Knight to princess,” Jason says.

“Squire,” Tim retorts. He needs to stop the princess talk before Damian finds out. Or worse, Ra’s. Ra’s will gladly send him silks and jewelry fit for royalty. “Where are you?”

“Patrolling the corridors. I’m going to find the weapons room and see what the best escape route for the girls is. Then I’ll take a turn on sentry duty. Sabotage their tech. How are the girls?”

“Scared, but they’re okay. Watch for other girls. Five have been taken from the cells and haven’t been returned yet.”

Jason curses. “Okay. I need to end this now. Stay safe.”

“You too.” Tim drops his hand to his side. “That was my partner,” he explains. He translates Jason’s message for the girls. “Have any of you left this cell or came from a different route but the entrance?”

The girls shake their heads. “No,” Amani says. “I haven’t left this cell since the guards put me here. The girls from my village and I were marched through the entrance.”

Tim nods. “Okay. If there’s a better way to leave, Red Hood will find it.”

A Muslim girl in black creeps closer to them. “You are brave to come here,” she says in Arabic. “But the cartel will kill you for helping us.”

Tim smirks. “They can try. I’ve been fighting crime since I was thirteen.” He waits to see if anyone else will voice their doubts. No one does, so he continues. “As I said, we’re breaking out of here tomorrow night. Red Hood will signal me, I’ll incapacitate the guards, and get us out of the cells. Then we make our way to the vehicles and to freedom. Any girl who can use a weapon will arm herself. My mentor and I practice a no killing philosophy, but getting all of you to safety is more important to me.”

“So… what do we do until then?” Katja asks.

“We wait,” Tim says simply. 

* * *

While Tim waits and plots, Jason keeps busy. A turn on sentry duty in the mountains is the perfect opportunity to sabotage the weapons and plan out escape routes, he’s located the two rooms where weapons are kept, and found the vehicles as well as the missing girls. Jason killed the men holding them. With their help, Jason planted flash bangs, knockout gas dispensers, and smoke bombs in key locations. All can be remote activated from afar. Once those go off, they’ll keep the cartel members distracted. 

“Do we leave soon?” one of the Russian girls he saved asks. She’s blonde, about fourteen, and sticking close to him. 

“Yes.” Jason tightens his grip on his gun as he peers around the corner. “I think it’s time. Now, do you remember the plan?”

The five girls nod. “We go to the vehicles, steal a Jeep, and shoot anyone who comes after us,” the eldest girl says. She’s seventeen and reminds him so much of himself when he lived in Crime Alley. 

Jason grins at her. “Yeah, and you use the GPS I gave you to reach Pru’s location.” It, and their weapons, are stolen from the cartel. “Let’s go. I’ll cover you until you reach the vehicles.” He taps his earpiece. “Red? You hear all that?”

“I have. Is it time?”

“It is. See you soon, princess.” Jason grins at the irritated huff. “Okay, let’s go.” He ushers the girls out of their hiding place. As soon as they’re safe, he’ll join up with Tim and the others. As much as he wants to kill every cartel member, incapacitating them will be far quicker. 

* * *

Tim pounds on the cell door. “Hey, idiots!” he yells in Arabic, pitching his voice higher to fool them into thinking he’s a woman. “Open the door! Three of the girls have passed out.”

“So?” grunts a guard.

“So picture how angry your boss will be if he finds out you did nothing!” Tim retorts.

Heavy footsteps stomp towards the door. Tim steps back from it, fingers curling around one of his throwing disks. The guard unlocks the door and opens it. “Which ones have –” He doesn’t get to finish the question. An expertly placed punch knocks him out, dropping him to the ground. Tim jumps over his body to take on the other two guards.

“Who are you?” One reaches for his gun, yelping when the disk hits his hand. He drops the gun with a pained curse.

“I’m Red Robin.” 

* * *

Jason shoots a fleeing cartel member in the leg before he can round the corner. The man crumples with a pained snarl. Jason jogs over, pressing the barrel of his gun to the man’s temple. “This is your chance to walk out of here alive,” he growls. “Are there any other girls here? Any weapons other than the two rooms I found?” He asks the question in Arabic first then repeats it in Russian when there’s no response.

The man curses him out in Russian. “Go to hell. You think you’ve beat us because you have the girls? You haven’t. There are always more girls! More boys! More children to sell. There are no more here, but plenty out there.”

Jason kicks the man’s injured leg, making him yelp in pain. “Wrong answer. You have five seconds to answer my questions before I shoot out a kneecap.” He aims at the man’s knee. “Five, four –”

“Okay!” He raises his hands in surrender. “Follow this tunnel to the iron door at the end. That’s where all the best goods are kept. Plane and runway too! There’s a keypad outside. 18-93-54. That’ll get you in.” 

“Good. And the girls?”

“Only in that one cell. And a few kept out for entertainment.”

Jason grits his teeth. “They’re safe from scum like you now.” He shoots the rapist pig and stands. “Red Robin?” He tenses at the sound of gunfire on Tim’s end along with frightened, feminine screams. “Report!”

“We’re outside!” Tim shouts then switches to Arabic. “Amani, take the red Jeep and go! We’ll cover your escape.” 

“What’s happening? Are you hurt? Are the girls hurt?” Jason demands.

“No, we’re okay. They’re just scared,” Tim explains. “I’m sending them out in shifts. The truck and one of the Jeeps is gone. There are two Jeeps left to take the remaining girls to Pru. I’m keeping back the girls who can use a weapon until the very end.” 

Jason gazes down the tunnel. He wants to go to Tim and help him, but he doesn't know what the “best goods” are. They could be bombs. Is the cartel idiotic enough to set off a bomb in their mountain hideout? Doing so will bring the entire mountain down on them! If they’re desperate… “How many enemies are left?”

“About ten. Ah, eight.”

Jason smirks when he hears a girl cheering in Russian. He assumes she’s the one who reduced the number. “Okay. Do you need backup?”

“No, we can handle this. I have two smoke bombs left that I’m going to use on them. Unless Katja shoots them. Where are you? Are you still inside the cave?”

“Yes. I just interrogated a guy about if there were any weapons or girls left,” Jason says as he hurries down the tunnel. “He said no girls, but there’s a room where the boss keeps the best weapons. He told me there’s a plane and runway there too.”

Tim curses softly. “You have to see what’s there. These people might get desperate and blow the base up to get rid of us.”

“On my way there now,” Jason says grimly. “I’ll tell you what I find once I’m there. Stay safe, Tim.” _I love you._

“You too.”


	4. Rescue

“The best goods” are as deadly as Jason’s predicted. Three different bombs are positioned around a gray plane that can fit two or three people. Biting his lip, Jason approaches the bombs to see if their timers are active. They haven’t been set… yet. “Red?”

“I’m here. What is it?”

“Bombs.” Jason sinks to a crouch in front of one. “It’s worse than that though. I worked with a guy who built bombs, so I know a lot about them. These aren’t entirely from this world. They look like a mixture of human and alien technology.”

Tim sucks in a breath. “Shit. We can’t let those fall into anyone’s hands. The Justice League –”

“Villains have stolen from the Justice League before,” Jason warns. “These need to be destroyed. I have a plan. It’s risky, and you won’t like it.”

“…You’re going to detonate them mid-air?”

Jason smiles wryly. “Yeah. There’s a plane here as promised. I can load the bombs onto it, fly out of here and get to a safe altitude, then I’ll set the timer and parachute out.”

“You’re not doing it alone.”

“Tim, no,” Jason protests. 

“We’re in this together now,” Tim snaps. “All the girls are on their way to Pru now. If we fly and jump together, we can reach our sand cycles and catch up with them.”

Jason glances at the bombs again. He doesn't want Tim getting involved, but he knows Tim will be absolutely livid if he fights him on this. “Okay. I’ll direct you so you can find me.”

“Okay.”

Ten minutes later, a breathless Tim is in the room with him. His dress is ripped in a few places, he’s lost his hijab, and there’s a growing red patch on his left side. “Tim, you’re hurt!” Why the fuck didn’t he say anything?

“It’s nothing.” Tim joins him at the bombs. “Damn it, I know this tech.”

“What is it?”

“A mixture of human and Reach tech,” Tim says grimly. “As much as I’d like to wait for Jaime to join us here, we can’t risk leaving these in the cartel’s hands.” He glances at the plane. “Come on, let’s get these loaded.”

Jason catches Tim’s arm. “Let me see that wound first.”

Tim fixes him with a steely glare. “Jason, we don’t have time for this. I’m _fine_. My suit deflected the worst of the blow. You’ve got our backpack with all our supplies so you can treat me once we land. Now let’s go. We can’t afford to linger here any longer.”

Jason reluctantly lets the subject drop. “Fine.” He releases Tim’s arm and, with his assistance, loads the three bombs into the plane as carefully as he can. Jason triple checked the plane for parachutes. “I’ll fly us out.” Jason isn’t afraid to be immature and hold the keys above Tim’s head if he fights him on this. Tim can insist he’s fine all he wants, but he’s lying about his wound. His skin is a shade too pale for Jason’s liking, the red patch is growing, and the suit clearly didn’t deflect the weapon – knife or bullet – as much as Tim claims. 

“Okay.” Tim settles into the passenger seat. “The wind is starting to pick up, so we should detonate the bombs over the desert.”

“Great minds think alike, princess. Less risk of getting slammed into the mountain face.” Jason starts the plane. This isn’t the first time he’s done something like this before. It is, however, the first time he’s had someone he loves with him. If Jason fucks this up he’ll take Tim with him. Jason takes a deep breath as he drives down the runway. This is going to be difficult to pull off. Only a skilled pilot can accomplish this. Good thing he is one. Jason makes a mental note to send Talia a gift as he gets the plane airborne. He and Tim both breathe sighs of relief as they exit into the night, leaving the cave behind. Jason flies higher into the sky as he turns away from the mountains. 

Tim lays his hand on his arm. “We’re high enough now. Jay, can you see the dune where we hid our sand cycles?”

Jason shakes his head. “Not really. From this altitude, all the dunes look the same. We’ll be able to find it once we land though. We’ll use the mountains as our guide.” He reaches under his seat to get his parachute. As soon as they land, he’s going to treat Tim’s damn wound before they do anything. Whether he likes it or not. “Ready?”

“Yes. I’ll activate the bombs.”

“Be careful.”

Tim flashes him a smile. “I will.” He twists in his seat so he can set the timer on the three bombs. “We have thirty seconds before these blow.”

Jason yanks his belt out its loops and uses it to fix the controls in his place. He tosses Tim’s parachute to him, strapping his own on over their backpack. “Ready?”

“Ready.” 

Jason throws open the door. Together, they leap into the desert sky. After free-falling for five, ten, fifteen seconds, they open their parachutes. The wind is stronger than Jason likes. It wants to take them further into open desert, into al Ghul territory. Jason can’t think about the risk of running into the League right now. He has to think about the present as he navigates his way to the ground. Jason drags his boots through the sand to help slow his landing. Once he’s stopped, he frees himself from the harness. Jason turns his gaze skywards to track Tim’s progress. He’s still airborne, but the plane won’t be for much longer. Jason sucks in a breath when the plane ignites in a blinding explosion. He watches blazing chunks of it fall through the sky before turning his gaze back to Tim. Ah, there he is. He’s just landed. Jason jogs to him and frowns, seeing Tim struggle to extricate himself from the harness. “Tim? Are you okay?” 

“I’m stuck.”

Jason draws his knife and cuts through the straps. Sheathing it, he helps Tim to his feet. “Let me play doctor now. You’re too pale, that red patch on your dress has doubled in size, and you _need_ treatment.”

Tim shakes his head. “No, not now. Wait until we get back to our sand cycles. I don’t want to walk back to town.”

Jason scowls at him. “Don’t give me this shit, Timothy. You’re hurt, we landed further from the mountains than I’d like, and I need you to make it through this so we can go on a date in Jerusalem!” He realizes he’s yelling at Tim then sighs. “Sorry. I’m just… worried about you. Will you _please_ let me check your wound?”

Tim finally nods. “Okay.” He pulls the dress over his head with a soft hiss of pain. “Were you hurt at all?”

Jason shakes his head. “No, I got lucky. The worst I’ll have is some bruising.” He opens the backpack and takes out a flashlight and first aid kit. That, two bottles of water, a few protein bars, and the rest of their hero suits are their only supplies. If they get stranded out here… No, he can’t think that way. “Suit off. Do you need help?”

Tim smirks at him. “You’re supposed to buy me dinner before you take my clothes off.” 

Jason knows he’s blushing. “Tim!”

Snickering, Tim strips off the top half of his suit. His cackling turns into another hiss of pain as fabric peels away from the wound. Jason kneels next to him and turns on the flashlight so he can see the wound. Someone pulled a knife on Tim in a slashing motion rather than a stabbing one. The wound is about two inches long, but seems shallow. Jason cleans it with a medical wipe and tapes two gauze pads over it. “There. That’ll hold for now, but I’ll stitch you up once we’re in town.”

“Okay.” Tim pulls his suit back on. “Have you been here before?” 

“The Rub’ al Khali?” Jason gazes around the endless sea of sand. “I came here a few times when Talia mentored me. What about you? Did you come here when you worked with the League?”

Tim shakes his head. “No, never. I’ve only flown over it with Ra’s before. He told me he has scouting parties searching the Rub’ al Khali for the lost city. It only came up that one time, so I don’t think he ever found it.”

“Irem of the Pillars?”

“It’s gone by other names. If it’s real.”

Jason takes Tim’s hand. “People thought Atlantis was a myth until Aquaman joined the Justice League. Talia’s mentioned Irem of the Pillars too. If it’s out there, then they’re still looking for it.” Which means they could well encounter the League of Assassins if they don’t get moving. “Let’s go. We can climb this dune and get a feel for where we should go.”

Tim squeezes his hand. “Okay.” 

They’re quiet as, hand in hand, they walk up the dune. Jason reaches the top first and realizes an awful truth: they’ve gone too far into the desert. He can’t see the mountains they came from at all.

“Shit,” Tim swears.

“I know.” Jason turns his gaze skywards to see if he can pick out the contrails of the plane. He can’t see them against the inky blackness of the sky. “Should we wait until sunrise?

Tim hesitates. “I don’t know.”

Neither does he.

*

Jason licks cracked lips as he sits down next to Tim. They’re using the base of a towering dune as shade from the sun. They’re down to half a bottle of water and one protein bar each. Two days they’ve been out here. Pru is either looking for them or she’s given up, thinking they’re dead since they never returned. Bruce… shouldn’t he be searching? What about the Supers? Kon can hear Tim’s heartbeat from Antarctica! If they shout loudly enough for Clark or Kara…

He slumps back against the dune, not caring he’s going to get sand in his hair. He’s already got sand everywhere. Who cares about a little more? “How’s your side?” He asks, turning his head to look at Tim. His lips are as cracked as Jason’s and he’s using Jason’s shirt as a makeshift turban to protect himself from the sun. 

“S’okay. Healing.”

Jason reaches for Tim’s hand. Tim curls their fingers together and slumps down next to Jason. They’re both exhausted, dehydrated, and starving. Jason knows Tim has been through worse before. This is practically a walk in the park for him given all the shit that’s happened to him since being murdered and then resurrected by ‘Superdouche Prime’ as Tim calls him. He got the name from Kon. Still, he’s worried about Tim. 

“Stop.”

“What?”

Tim squeezes his hand. “Worrying.” He scoots closer so he can tuck himself in against Jason’s side. 

Jason snorts even as he raises his arm to pull Tim in close. “Might as well tell me to stop breathing.” He presses a kiss to the top of Tim’s head. “Rest?” He suggests even though they’re already doing that.

Tim nods.

“Okay.” Jason leans his head against Tim’s and watches the sand around them. They try to rest during the day to conserve their energy. It’s easier to traverse the desert at night when it isn’t as hot as Satan’s armpit. 

An hour later, Jason has them take a sip of water and a bite of the protein bar. Then it’s time to continue on. Somewhere out in this desert are people. Bedouins, villages, tourists, hell even a Hollywood blockbuster being filmed! Jason refuses to die out here. Not when he’s a brand new boyfriend and has a chance for a future with Tim.

*

Jason closes his eyes, concentrating on putting one foot in front of the other. Every step takes him closer to rescue. That’s what he keeps telling himself. He and Tim _will_ find someone out here who can save them. Jason refuses to give up. He doesn’t care how hungry and thirsty he is, how their food and water are gone. Jason made sure Tim got the last of both since he needed them more than Jason.

Tim. His fingers are limp in Jason’s, breathing labored as he struggles next to him. Jason thinks their joined hands are the only thing keeping him going. Tim is injured, sunburnt, and fighting to keep going. It’s tougher for him since he doesn't have Lazarus energy powering him. Jason takes longer to tire in his second life. 

“Kon,” Tim whispers. “Clark.”

It’s a feeble chant both of them have tried repeatedly in the four days since they crashed into the Rub’ al Khali. They must be off planet on a mission or in some situation where they either can’t hear their calls or can’t come to their rescue. 

Jason squeezes Tim’s hand and keeps going. He squints ahead when he sees an image shimmering up ahead. If it’s another damn mirage of an oasis he’s going to tear his hair out. A dune comes into view, and he veers towards it. They’ll have a better viewpoint of the desert from the top. “Dune?” he rasps, glancing back at Tim. He hates to ask this of him. Tim already looks like he’s about to drop. He should wait at the base of the dune, but he won’t do it. Jason knows he’ll earn a nasty look if he suggests it. 

Tim takes a breath. “Dune,” he agrees. His voice is as hoarse as Jason’s. He pushes tired legs forward and together they climb to the top of the dune. 

Jason straightens from his half crawling position so he can look out at the endless sea of sand. He can’t see anything but sand, dunes, and more sand. No camels, no lights from villages, not even a damn plane flying overhead. Jason grits his teeth against the hopelessness filling him. No! He’s _not_ going to give up! Dick survived days alone in the desert when he was undercover with Spyral. They’re going to make it through this, then they’re going on a cruise. Or an island vacation. They’ll go somewhere with water.

Thump. 

“Tim!” Jason whips around. He lunges forward to seize the back of Tim’s suit before he can tumble any further down the dune. Swearing, he crouches at his side and checks him over. Tim’s skin is too hot and he’s clearly fainted from the heat and exertion. “Tim. Wake up.” Jason shakes his shoulder. “Come on, princess, wake up.”

Jason doesn’t know if it’s the touch or a knee-jerk reaction to being called princess that makes Tim’s eyes crack open. Jason relaxes upon seeing the little glimpse of blue. “Don’t scare me like that.” He pulls Tim into his arms and kisses his hair. “I’ll carry you. Just stay with me, Tim. I love you.”

“Love… too.” Tim coughs weakly then closes his eyes again. 

Jason swallows. He’s wanted so badly to hear those words, but he’d give anything to hear them under better conditions. Carefully he lifts Tim up into his arms and holds him close to his chest. Taking a breath, Jason heads down the dune. Left foot, right foot. Keep moving. He can do this. Hell, he can do anything now that he knows Tim loves him too!

He loses track of time as he continues through the desert. Finally, arms burning and threatening to give out, he has to stop. Jason slumps down on the sand with Tim in his lap. He gazes around the endless desert, gritting his teeth against the sea of sand. This fucking hellhole deserves to be called the Empty Quarter. He doesn't know if they’re still in Saudi Arabia or if they’ve crossed the border into Yemen now. Dropping his head onto Tim’s, Jason holds his new boyfriend close as he waits for a miracle or a burst of strength.

Whichever comes first. 

Jason raises his head when he sees a hazy shimmer on the horizon. Another mirage? He swallows dryly and makes himself sit up straighter as the haze solidifies into a vehicle. He watches, heart pounding, as the vehicle drives in their direction. There’s even the sound of the engine. Mirages don’t have sound! Jason waves his arms desperately. _“Here!”_ He shouts in Arabic, putting as much force into that word as his parched throat will allow.

Some of his relief fades when the Jeep comes close enough for him to recognize the League of Assassins attire on the three passengers. The driver gives him a look before raising a gun.

_“Wait,”_ Jason snaps at her, slipping back into the League dialect he learned alongside Talia. _“My name is Jason Todd and this is Timothy Drake-Wayne. Ra’s al Ghul harbors a deep respect for him while Talia was my caretaker. If you kill us, you kill yourselves.”_ His voice fails and he coughs hoarsely. 

The League members look at each other. The driver has a short, whispered conversation to her partners before jerking her head at him. _“Bring them.”_

The two men with her jump down from the Jeep. One pulls Tim from Jason’s arms and carries his limp form to the Jeep. The other drags Jason to his feet and marches him to the vehicle. Jason is too drained to protest the rough treatment. The assassins bundle them into the back of the Jeep.

Jason’s handler pushes a bottle of water at him. “Drink,” he orders. 

Jason takes a few sips to wet his throat then pulls Tim against his chest. Holding the bottle to his lips, he feeds him some of the water. Tim swallows, coughs feebly, and swallows again. He still doesn’t wake though. Jason finishes the rest of the water then slumps down with Tim still cradled against his chest. His body gives into exhaustion now that he knows they’re going to survive the desert.


	5. Waking Up

The sun beats down on Jason’s head as he struggles through the sand. Tim is up ahead, always out of reach. For some reason, he never turns or looks back at Jason. No matter how loudly he calls his name or begs him to wait. “Tim!” Jason yells again. He hurries up the dune after him, stretching out his arm to catch the end of Tim’s cape. It slips through his fingers just as clouds cover the sun. “Tim, slow down!” 

Again, Tim ignores him. He disappears over the top of the dune and into a sudden rain. It soaks through Jason’s clothes and turns the sand around his legs to mud. He can’t move, can’t catch up to Tim, can’t…

“Tim!” Jason gasps as his eyes open. His hand is outstretched to clasp a phantom cape. Slowly, his arm falls to his side as he takes in his surroundings. He isn’t in the desert anymore. There’s no rain, no sand, and he’s lying on a soft bed in an unfamiliar room. A fountain is in the corner, which explains the rain from his dream. Where is he though? Why isn’t Tim here?

The door opens just as Jason realizes he’s unarmed and naked except for a sheet. He tenses reflexively, then relaxes upon seeing Talia. “At ease, Jason,” she says with a soft smile. She’s dressed in gold jewelry and a pink and gold silk dress. She carries a tray with a water jug, two cups, and a bowl of what he presumes is soup.

“Where’s Tim?” Jason asks. His voice is as hoarse as it was in the desert.

Talia sits on the edge of the bed, filling Jason’s senses with the scent of her jasmine perfume. “Drink first, Jason. Then we’ll talk.” She places the tray on the bedside table and pours him a glass of water. “Can you sit up without assistance?”

Jason hasn’t tried yet. Carefully, he pushes himself upright and uses the headboard for support. He accepts the offered glass and takes a few slow sips. He’ll make himself sick if he drinks too fast. “How long was I out?”

“You’ve been asleep for two days.”

Jason stares at her in horror. “Two _days_?”

Talia tops off his glass. “Drink,” she instructs. Once he obeys, she continues. “Yes, two days. The desert is harsh on the body, Jason. You and Tim were badly dehydrated when Father’s men found you. Your skin has been bathed with aloe to treat your burns and you’ve had two IVs thus far. Now that you’re awake, you’ll be able to eat, drink, and replenish your strength. Then you’ll be fully recovered.”

Jason empties his glass. “My clothes?”

“You’ll receive new ones.” Talia’s green eyes, so similar to Damian’s, trace down his bare skin. There’s nothing lustful to her gaze. Instead, it’s almost parental. Good. Knowing she spawned Damian is an eternal turnoff.

Jason reaches for the pitcher. She beats him to it, filling the glass again. “Thank you. Now where’s Tim?” They were picked up together, so Tim has to be here somewhere. Unless Ra’s took him away. He swallows when Talia’s expression shifts. “No.”

Talia sighs. “Father took Tim elsewhere and left you in my care.”

“Where are we now?”

“An island off the coast of Riyadh.”

So he’s still in Saudi Arabia while Tim could be anywhere in the Middle East. “Did you see your father leave with Tim? Do you know if he’s okay? He was injured by the cartel, then weakened out in the desert.” Jason bites his lip as he thinks of Tim succumbing to dehydration and collapsing atop the dune.

“Yes, I did see Father leave with Tim. He carried him aboard his plane soon after you arrived. He refused to tell me where he was going. All he said was that a change of environment was needed.” Talia pours herself a glass of water. “I haven’t received any word from Father. He is… misguided, but he does care deeply for Tim. I assure you he is in excellent hands.”

Jason doesn’t want to imagine what else those “excellent hands” have planned for Tim. “I’m not leaving Tim with your father. Call him misguided all you want, but Ra’s is a goddamn stalker with him.”

“I’m aware,” Talia says softly. “How did you and Tim find yourselves in this situation? You defeated the cartel, saved the girls, and then got lost in the desert? You should not have entered the Rub’ al Khali unprepared. It’s a dangerous place for those who do not know it.”

“The cartel had bombs,” Jason explains. “They were a mix of Reach and human technology. Tim and I agreed they needed to be destroyed so they couldn’t fall into the wrong hands. The cartel had a plane, so I proposed we load the bombs onto the plane and detonate them over the desert. I thought we could find our way back to where we’d left our sand cycles. I was wrong.” It’s his turn to sigh and take another drink. “The wind carried us further into the desert than I thought, and we got lost. Then it became a matter of finding rescue or shelter. Whichever came first.” He grimaces as he recalls hours of trudging through sand with an injured Tim and dwindling supplies. 

Talia purses her lips. “You did well. I only wish you hadn’t lost your way.” She sets her glass on the tray and lifts the bowl. “You should eat something.”

Jason swings his leg over the side of the bed. “Not now. I have to get Tim.” He tries to stand and collapses back on the bed. Shit. How is he supposed to rescue Tim when his own body is fighting against him?

Talia guides him back down. “Don’t push yourself so soon. You’re in no condition to rescue your lover now.” 

Jason freezes. “How did you know?”

Talia smiles sadly. “Because I know love. It’s in your eyes when you speak of him. You’ve called for him frequently in your sleep as well. You’re fortunate Father does not know you have feelings for Tim.”

Jason snorts. “Yeah, he’d have my head if he learned we’re dating.” He rakes his hand through his hair in frustration. As much as he wants to leave right now to rescue Tim, he knows Talia is right. He’s no use to anyone if he can’t even get out of bed. 

“You and Tim are a couple?”

“Just recently,” Jason replies. “I confessed to him when we stopped in Jerusalem. Asked him to go on a date with me there after we finished the case. You know the girls are safe, so you must’ve heard from Pru.”

“I have. The girls have been returned to their villages and countries.” Talia clasps his hand. “I will aid you as I have in the past. If you wish to reclaim Tim from my father, you must rest first. Let your body heal. You can’t pursue them in your current condition.”

As much as Jason hates to agree, he knows she’s right. “Okay. I’ll give it a maximum of two days, then I’m leaving. For Tim’s sake, I hope he’s still asleep so your father can’t do anything to him.”

Talia grimaces. “Father is furious with Tim for destroying his network and turning against him. Still, he holds great respect for him. Father sees Tim as a worthy heir. A partner. Or a lover. Father will want him in his bed.”

Jason clenches his fists. “That’s why I have to get him back.”

“I will attempt to contact my father and see where he’s holding Tim.”

“Thank you, Talia.” Jason reaches for her hand. “For everything you’ve done for me.” He leans in to kiss her cheek like he did with his mother when he was a small child and addiction hadn’t completely consumed her. 

Talia rises from the bed. “Eat your soup. After you’ve eaten, you may bathe and rest some more.”

“You saying I stink?”

Talia gives him an amused look. “Rest, Jason. Your love needs you to be strong if you are to free him from my father’s grasp.”

Jason turns pink. His love… god, he loves Tim. He loves him so much he’d do anything for him. “Okay,” is all he says. He thinks about Tim and wonders if he’s just waking up or if he’s been awake already.

Two days will take forever. 

*

Talia does more than give him coordinates to Ra’s and Tim’s location. She gives him supplies, use of her personal plane and pilot, a bike, and advice. “Father is in his cliff top palace. Lucille will drop you off far enough away from his sensors that you’ll avoid detection. Then you’ll take the bike to the edge of the forest. How you scale the cliff to enter the palace is your choice. You’re a Bat, so I’ve prepared a grapple and climbing gear for you.”

Jason shakes his head. Of course Ra’s “the most dramatic person on the planet” al Ghul would have a palace atop a cliff. “I thought Bruce was a drama queen. Your dad puts him to shame.” 

Talia chuckles. “Perhaps.”

“Thank you for all your help.”

Talia lays her hand on his shoulder. “Go. Rescue your beloved and find happiness with him. Father and I have had our chances at love. Always, we let ambition blind us to what truly mattered.” Her eyes grow sad as she thinks of Bruce, the life they could’ve had. “I consider you family as well, Jason. You were like a son to me when you were under my care. I should never have slept with you.” 

Jason rests his hand on hers. “You don’t have to apologize for that. I’ve made a lot of mistakes in this second life. We had sex once years ago. That’s in the past now. There’s no awkwardness between us.”

Talia smiles. “I’m glad to hear that.” She drops her hand to her side. “Go. Tim needs you.”

Jason kisses her cheek once more. “Goodbye, Talia.” He leaves her and meets Lucille outside the villa. Lucille is a tall, powerfully built woman who looks like she could bench press him with ease. Jason half expects to find out she’s an Amazon. 

Lucille studies him. “You’re the crazy boy going against the Demon’s Head?”

“Ra’s has my boyfriend.”

Lucille smirks. “You’ve got spirit, boy. For your sake, I hope he doesn’t kill you.”

“You sure know how to inspire a guy.” Jason follows her to the plane. He puts his bag at his feet and buckles himself in. Talia’s prepared him with food, water, a grapple, weapons, a flare gun, and smoke bombs. Talia is Ra’s’ daughter so she doesn’t care if anyone dies during the rescue. Jason knows Ra’s respects Tim, but the old creep is interested in Tim for more than just his brain. If he’s forced Tim into his bed, Jason has a bullet for him.


	6. Together Again

Jason settles onto a ledge to give his arms a chance to rest. Bruce is the most paranoid person he’s ever met so there’s no way he doesn’t know about Ra’s’ cliff top palace. In typical Bruce fashion, he couldn’t be bothered to inform his ex-Robins. Jason is going to deck him when he gets back to Gotham.

Shaking out his arms, he glances up. There’s still another twenty feet to go. Then he’ll enter the palace and do whatever it takes to rescue Tim. He shrugs off his backpack and takes out a water bottle. After a few sips, he caps it and returns it to the bag. Time to go. Jason pulls the backpack on again and resumes climbing. 

Three feet from the top, Jason pauses again. This time it’s to ensure no perimeter guards are patrolling this particular section. There are two further down, but their backs are to him. Jason can’t see any motion sensors or visible security cameras. He continues to climb, breathing a sigh of relief as he pulls himself onto even ground. Jason slips into the shadows of the palace for cover. Again, he waits to see if his presence has triggered any alarms or notified the guards. Nothing. Rather poor security for Ra’s al Ghul. Unless he’s keeping his guards inside. Or around Tim. 

Jason draws one of his guns and clicks off the safety. It’s time to get his boyfriend. Recalling the blueprints Talia showed him, Jason creeps down corridors. Anyone he sees is dispatched with a chokehold or a bullet. There aren’t many League members, ninjas, or guards around. Has Ra’s already moved on? If he has, where the hell is he now? Jason refuses to play a twisted game of “Where’s Waldo” with this man. Not when Tim is at stake.

He’s so focused on Tim and where he could be that he’s let his concentration waver. Jason rounds the corner, walking straight into someone. Instinctively he grasps the person’s arms then freezes. “Tim?”

“Jason?” Tim gazes at him wide-eyed. He looks beautiful in green silk robes with silver accents. Back in the caves, Jason had joked Tim was his princess and Jason the knight. Dressed so regally and adorned in gold jewelry, Tim really does look like a princess. His coloring has improved since Jason last saw him. Hell, he looks healthy for a man who’d been unconscious in the desert! “What are – mmf!” The question is cut off when Jason throws his arms around his waist and kisses him hard. Tim soon recovers from his shock to return the kiss, looping his arms around Jason’s neck and holding him as tightly as Jason holds him.

Jason kisses him again. “I was so worried about you,” he says when they break apart. “Are you okay? Did Ra’s hurt you?” He pats Tim down, checking him for injuries and lingering on the knife wound. “How’s your side?” He’s wearing too many layers to easily check on the state of that injury. 

“Jay, calm down.” Tim lays his hands over Jason’s to end his frantic search. “I’m fine.”

Jason frowns. Now that Tim has recovered from the shock of seeing him again, he’s unable to look Jason in the eye. Worse, his shoulders are hunching and his stance is growing more defensive. Tim’s body language screams out a need to protect himself. What the hell happened to him? “Tim,” Jason says quietly. “What did Ra’s do to you?”

Tim steps back. “That isn’t important. Jason, you need to go before he finds you here.”

“Absolutely not. I'm not going anywhere without you!” Jason catches Tim’s sleeve to stop him from retreating further. The fabric slips down, showing a livid bruise and bite marks around Tim’s collarbone and shoulder. Tim blushes and yanks the cloth back in place. Jason forces himself to count to five so he won’t explode. _Ra’s, you fucking bastard. I will end you for this._ “Tim. Did he rape you?”

“No,” Tim says miserably. “He…I…”

Jason grits his teeth. “There’s no time to talk about this now.” He grabs Tim’s hand. “Let’s go, Tim. You’re coming with me.”

Tim turns his gaze up to Jason’s. His face betrays a myriad of emotions: shame, worry, nerves. “Jay, I… I can’t leave yet. Ra’s and I made a deal.”

“Too bad. I’ll send him a message and say I kidnapped you. Now come on, Tim. I _will_ throw you over my shoulder and run off with you if I need to.” Jason doesn’t want to be rough with Tim after what Ra’s has done to him, but he can’t let Tim stay here. Whatever deal he’s made with the Demon’s Head isn’t important. 

Tim hesitates a few moments longer. He glances over his shoulder then straightens up, gripping Jason’s hand. “Okay. How did you find me?”

Jason kisses Tim’s fingers. “Talia.” Once they’re safe, he’ll get Tim some coffee and encourage him to open up about what happened after their separation. Right now, he needs to get them out of the palace, into the forest, and back to Lucille. She’s agreed to take them as far as Jerusalem and then they’re on their own. 

“I owe her.”

“Send her a shirtless picture of Bruce. I’m sure she’d like that.” Jason grins at Tim, smile widening when he earns a tentative one in return. 

Jason doesn’t let go of Tim’s hand as he leads the way through the corridors. He pauses at every corner, gun raised as he listens for sounds of approach. Luck holds out until they near the exit. Two ninjas are standing in front of the window Jason entered through. Jason shoots one before she can sound the alarm. Tim draws a knife from Jason’s belt and engages the other in a brief duel before breaking through the man’s guard. Tim hits him over the head with the hilt of the knife. Groaning, the man falls limply next to his partner.

“Good work.” Jason lays a hand on Tim’s hair then takes his hand again. Just like in the desert, he doesn’t want to let go of him. Their connected hands had been a link, his motivation to keep going. It’s the same now. Every step is another one closer to their promised date in Jerusalem. Provided Tim is still up for it. 

“Where’s Ra’s?” Jason asks quietly.

“I don't know. He left an hour ago saying he had business. I haven’t seen him since.”

Whatever that meeting is, Jason hopes it takes him a long time. He and Tim need to be far away before Ra’s realizes Tim is missing. They exit the palace via the window, closing it behind them again. Jason crouches beneath it and takes off his backpack. He opens his backpack, pulling out the high power grapple Talia gave him. “Climb onto my back and hold onto me.”

Tim raises an eyebrow. “I can use a grapple too.”

“I only have one.”

Sighing, Tim obeys. “Fine.” He clambers onto Jason’s back and clings to him like a baby sloth. “Good?”

Jason pats Tim’s legs. “Great. Just don’t choke me.” He picks up the backpack and pulls it on to hang over his chest like a kangaroo pouch. “Just a moment.” He turns his head to kiss Tim’s cheek. “Love you.”

Tim squeezes him a little tighter. “I love you too.”

Smiling, Jason draws two smoke bombs from the backpack. He tosses the bombs to either side of them to grant them coverage. Then, taking a deep breath, he leaps off the side of the cliff. Jason twists and fires his grapple. Tim’s added weight is a strain on his arms, but Jason is able to propel them down to the base of the rocky island without much difficulty. Once his feet are on solid ground, he releases the line. “There.” 

Tim slides off his back. “What now?”

Jason grasps Tim’s hand again. “Now, we take that bike,” he lifts the branches he’d covered it with, “and ride to the meeting point with our pilot. Her name’s Lucille. She’s nice, for League of Assassins. She’ll take us to Jerusalem.” He climbs onto the bike.

“Great.” Tim slides on behind him, sliding his arms around Jason’s waist. “I’d rather be back in the Rub’ al Khali than here.”

Jason grits his teeth. Soon, he’s going to find Ra’s and make him pay for whatever he did to Tim. “We’ll be out of here soon.” Tim needs him to be supportive right now. Not vengeful. He starts the engine and drives back the way he came. 

**Jerusalem**

Talia planned everything well. After Lucille drops them off at the airport, a driver picks them up and brings them to one of the most (if not _the_ most) luxurious hotels in Jerusalem. They have a private suite for two nights. Jason doesn’t care about the amenities; he isn’t going to be visiting the pool or the spa. He and Tim could definitely use a drink, but right now he’d rather have dinner and a drink in the privacy of their room.

“Here we are.” Jason opens the door and holds it so Tim can enter first. He looks like visiting royalty while Jason is his bodyguard. Knight and princess indeed. Jason steps in after him, closing and locking the door behind him. He drags the chain over the door then triple checks the security of the locks before stepping back. He turns, taking in the suite. It’s a beautiful set of rooms with a breathtaking view of the old city. “Do you want to shower or eat first?” He’s hungry, but he’ll let Tim decide their agenda for the night.

Tim sits on the edge of the plush bed. “We can eat first.” He plucks the edge of his sleeve. “I only have this to wear after I shower.”

Jason hesitates then joins him. “I can go out and get you some other clothes. I know you aren’t comfortable.” He takes Tim’s hand. “I won’t push you to talk about what he did if you aren’t ready to do so. I just… I really want this to work. I want us to work. I wasn’t there for you in the past. I’d like to be there for you now. So please, don’t feel like you have to hide from me or carry this burden on your own.”

Tim slowly laces their fingers together. “How about we have dinner first. And then I’ll talk. Okay?”

Jason raises his hand to kiss it. “Okay. Your wish is my command, princess.”

Tim snorts. “You can start by getting me something else to wear, Romeo. There’s a boutique down in the lobby. You can find me an outfit while we’re waiting for our dinner.”

Jason is happy to do so. He wants Tim to feel comfortable and like himself again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there's the end! I definitely could have done a lot more tinkering with later chapters, but this fic could easily be one of those where I fuss and fuss and fuss with it... only to never post. 
> 
> I originally planned to show what happens with Ra's and Tim. It really didn't fit with the pacing of the fic though, especially since Jason is my narrator. Maybe in anotehr fic.


End file.
